Before we talk about where the dead are, why don't we first look at some of the promises that God has given us. Death is a terrible thing, yet we can know from the Bible that death does not have to be the frightening thing to end all frightening things in our life.
I love this first verse. There is a promise in this text that is all encompassing and I think it relates to our topic of death.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Does this promise, that all things work together for good to them that love God, also include death? Yes it must. It says all things doesn't it? God's promises must include everything. He is the answer to all our problems!
Actually, death is the one big problem that we all have to face eventually. It can be the most troubling of all questions that we have to face in life. Is this the end? Is there anything more or does everything go to black nothingness?
So, the promise that "all things work together for good to them that love God" means that our death does not take God by surprise. He has something planned for us that is yet to occur, following death or after the second coming of Jesus. Actually, God Himself is looking for the day when He will come to take us home with Him.
Now, the following verses have also meant a lot to me, especially since the time I lost both my mother and sister, and now I have lost my father. You might also delight in the joys of God's promises.
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 (last part)
The joy that comes in the morning is speaking of what happens when we wake up after we have died. It is then that we will see Jesus and we will realize that He is responsible for this joy.
. . . "Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
So, when our friends die or even if we are having to face death, yes, there can be bitter weeping, because death is awful; But we must remember that in the morning, when Jesus comes as He has promised; It is then that there will be joy and happiness!
I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12 (last part).
At times, death seems very permanent, especially as we see our loved ones lowered into the ground. However, I know that God is able to keep me until the day of His soon coming because I have committed myself to Him. He will do that for our loved ones as well.
Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. Psalms 103:13
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 (last part)
All these promises include death. God will never leave us nor will he forsake us. He pities all those who fear him (respect and honor) and since we have placed our worries on Him, He will care for us. Even in death!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4.
All of us will have to face death, but even though we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, there will be no need to fear because God is with us!
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10.
I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. John 14:18.
As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted. Isaiah 66:13 (first part).
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (first part).
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalms 34:7-8.
Because of His promises to us, God is a comfort to us even as we approach death.
Most of these promises we have looked at actually refer to when Jesus comes again. When Jesus comes all wrongs will be righted and He will speadily release all His people from the grave. Look at my page concerning the second coming of Christ. In the descriptions of Christ's final coming are some of the most powerful promises found in the Bible!
Jesus speaks of death as sleep
Jesus always referred to death as a sleep. This is comforting because we know that sleep is not permanent. When Lazarus died, He told His disciples that Lazarus is now sleeping.
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11-14.
It is interesting that when Jesus used the word "sleep" that the disciples misunderstood his meaning. Apparently, in Christ's time, people did not understand the temporary nature of death. The Sadducees could have been the cause of this since they did not believe in the resurrection. They believed that once they were dead, that was it. But it is clear that Jesus did not think this way at all and He used this situation to teach His disciples.
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him.
Then Thomas (he being called Twin) said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. John 11:15-16.
There is much that Jesus needed to teach His disciples. When Jesus talked to Martha, He told her that whoever believed in Him, even if they die, they will yet live. They will never die.
Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now, whatever You will ask of God, God will give You.
Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again.
Martha said to Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world. John 11:21-27.
Jesus does not even consider that death is really death:
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
He said to them, Go back, for the little girl is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed Him to scorn.
But when the people were put out, He went in and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
And this report went out into all that land. Matthew 9:23-26.
Now the girl was dead. But Jesus does not even consider that death is actually death. He told them that the girl was not dead but only sleeping. Jesus sees death as only a sleep. That is why, if we believe in Jesus, though we die, yet we will live. All this is because Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
The people had seen Jesus heal people. When someone was sick, Jesus is the one whom they thought to call for help. But to have Jesus raise someone from the dead was not thought of yet. They did not even think to ask.
Then when Mary had come where Jesus was, seeing Him, Mary fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. John 11:32.
But Jesus had something special to teach them.
And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, Behold how He loved him!
And some of them said, Was not this Man who opened the eyes of the blind able also to cause that even this one should not have died?
Then Jesus, groaning in Himself again, came to the tomb. And it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who died, said to Him, Lord, by this time he stinks. For it is the fourth day.
Jesus answered her, Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?
Then they took away the stone where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
And I know that You hear Me always, but because of the people who stand by I said it, so that they may believe that You have sent Me.
And saying these things, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, Here! Outside!
And he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with sheets, and his face was bound with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Untie him and let him go! John 11:34-44. MKJV
No one believed that Jesus could do anything in the death of Lazarus. Even Martha objected when He asked that the stone be taken away. But Jesus wanted to show the glory of God to them and He groaned within Himself at the hopeless attitude of the people. And so He brought Lazarus to life so that they may believe that God the Father has sent Him to us and that He has power over death because He is the resurrection and the life.
It is because Jesus has power over death that he sees death as only a temporary state. Jesus always referred to death as a sleep.
Look at Paul's assurance to the Christians in Thessalonica. He also describes the dead as sleeping, and that they will rise again!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.
Death is referred to as a sleep 66 times in the Bible. I have listed them here.
Thou (Moses) shall sleep with thy fathers. Deuteronomy 31:16.
Thou (David) shalt sleep with thy fathers. 2 Samuel 7:12.
The king (David) shall sleep with his fathers. 1 Kings 1:21.
So David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 2:10.
David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 11:21.
He (Jeroboam) slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:20.
Rehoboam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:31.
Abijam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:8.
Asa slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:24.
Baasha slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:6.
Omri slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:28.
Ahab slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:40.
Jehosaphat slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:50.
Joram slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 8:24
Jehu slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 10:35.
Jehoahaz slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 13:9.
I should have slept. Job 3:13.
Now shall I sleep. Job 7:21.
They have slept their sleep. Psalm 76:5.
And sleep a perpetual sleep. Jeremiah 51:39.
Them that sleep in the dust. Daniel 12:2.
Is not dead, but sleepeth. Matthew 9:24.
Lazarus sleepeth. John 11:11.
Some are fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:6.
Concerning them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13.
Since the fathers fell asleep. 2 Peter 3:4.
"Sleep" is clearly the biblical term for death. Here are the rest of the texts which refer to death as "sleep." They are:
2 Kings 13:13; 14:16,22,29; 15:7,22,38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24:6;
2 Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 26:2,23; 27:9; 28:27
2 Chronicles 32:33; 33:20; Job 14:12; Psalm 13:3; 76:6; 90:5
Jeremiah 51:57; Matthew 27:52; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52; Acts 7:60
Acts 13:36; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:18,20; 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15.
Clearly, both in the Old and New Testaments, "sleep" is used to describe death. To them it was a sleep till Jesus or the Messiah comes!
Man Became a Living Soul
To better understand what happens to us when we die, let us look at what happened when the first man, Adam was created.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7.
It looks like God did two things to create Adam:
1) He formed man from the dust (dirt or clay) of the ground.
2) He breathed into the form of dust the breath of life.
And so, Adam, the first man, became a living soul! Adam became a living being or a living person.
It is important to notice that Man is not given a soul. Instead we read that He became a living soul when the breath of life was added to the dust of the ground! As we look at more Bible, we will see that this is an important difference.
That we are made of dust and have the breath of life is mentioned by a variety of Bible writers. Here are just a few quotes:
But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalms 103:13-14.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4
As we can see, Job mentions that the Almighty gives him life. So, When God formed dust out of the ground and then gave it the breath of life, man became a living soul.
Now, what happens when we die?
When the Soul Dies, The Breath Returns to God and the Dust Returns to the Ground.
When we die, we loose the breath and the dust decays into the ground.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7.
Notice that we now have the dust returning to the ground, this makes sense. But we now have the spirit returning to God. This almost sounds like our soul is returning to God. But if we look at the Hebrew word or "ruwach" (Strongs No. 7307) which is pronounced (roo' -akh), we find it can mean spirit, wind, breath, or even mind on a few occasions. So this word not only means spirit but it also means breath!
Here is another text that has the same two parts (dust and the breath of life) come apart when we die. Except now the translators have actually called it the breath.
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Psalms 104:29.
The same Hebrew word, or "ruwach", that is translated as "spirit" in Ecclesiastes 12:7 is now translated as "breath" in Psalms 104:29. The translators seem to use "spirit" and "breath" interchangably. In Psalms 104:29, we see that God takes away the breath when people die. The body itself returns to dust.
So we see the same two parts come apart as we saw come together when man became a living soul. In the next verse the consequences of sin is described:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Genesis 3:19
When Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that since they came from the ground, and since they had sinned, they will return to the ground.
So, when we die, our body returns back to dust and the spirit or breath of life returns to God.
Now, what is it that returns to God? We have two possibilities:
1) If man becomes a living soul when we are born or created, then when we die, if we cease from being a living soul; It would make sense that we would stop knowing anything when we die. We would have no thoughts from that point on.
2) On the other hand, if our soul goes back to heaven when we die as a disembodied being, it would make sense that we would continue to think and to know that we exist. Our thoughts would continue.
What is it that happens? Do all our thoughts stop when we die, or do we just go to Heaven when we die without our bodies?
The Dead do not Know Anything
The Bible is very plain. It says the dead do not know anything. Look at this text:
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10.
Now for the first time we see death described. "The dead know not any thing!" Everything about them is gone, their memory, their love, their hatred, their envy, and they no longer act. They are asleep. They are nonexistent.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Psalms 146:4.
Again we see that when the breath of life goes back to God and the body returns to dust, that their thoughts perish. It should be clear that the dead cannot talk, or think or do anything. They essentially no longer exist as a living thinking person.
This agrees with what we saw before. Adam became a living person. He became a living soul. So now, when we die, we cease from being a living person. We cease from being a living soul. We no longer exist because our thoughts perish.
There is more.
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. Psalms 115:17-18.
So a major difference is made. The dead cannot praise God at all but those who live can.
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalms 6:4-5.
Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Job 38:17-19.
Apparently a few of the writers in Psalms and also Job, are pleading to be delivered by God. They are saying to God that they can praise Him if they are alive but if they die they can no longer give God thanks.
Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. Job 21:31-32.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:9-11
Job sees that his only future is the grave and death. Job sees this fate of his as depressing to the point that he is anguishing in bitterness over his death and does not stop complaining to God.
However, as we will see in the next few verses that there is indeed a promise of a bright future for God's people who descend into the sleep of the grave.
The sleeping dead will one day rise again!
This is the great event that many of us are waiting for:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15.
In verse 14 it almost sounds like Jesus is bringing the dead who are sleeping in Jesus with Him from Heaven to earth. However if we keep reading we find that the opposite is actually happening.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
When Jesus comes, He will descend from heaven and shout, and all those who have died (fallen asleep in Christ) will rise. So, this verse tells us that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are raised to life on the last day at the second coming of Christ and not before.
Then those who are still alive when Jesus comes will be caught up together with those who have died and are now risen. From that time on, we will always be with the Lord!
We can see that the dead in Christ are sleeping until Jesus actually descends from heaven. That means they have been sleeping in the grave until that time. It is then that they are raised up to ever be with the Lord. So, it is then that Jesus brings those who have died with Him. Jesus then takes them to heaven with those who were yet alive.
Jesus also spoke of this time. He also says that the dead will rise up at the last day.
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:39-40.
In the last day there will be victory!
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
This is wonderful! Paul is telling us that not all people will die, but that they will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye when Jesus comes.
Then Paul shifts his attention to those who have died: When the last trumpet sounds, all the dead who died in Christ will be raised with perfect bodies that are not damaged by sin. At this point they cry out "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" The wonder of living again and with perfect bodies overwhelms them; And they give thanks to God who gave them the victory through Jesus Christ!
So, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised with totally new bodies (the living will also be changed having totally new bodies). At that time, there will be no more death nor sickness nor aging!
In our sinful world, we are all getting old and we can see it in our bodies. We have wrinkles and cracked skin. We might even have missing parts. Maybe a leg had to be amputated. We might have lost our sight or our hearing has been greatly affected or lost all together. As we get even older we get additional spots and our skin no longer is smooth, but rather it starts to become translucent and hangs from our bones. We really start to look ugly!
Can you imagine what the righteous might look like in their new bodies. Old people will be young. In our sinful world, even teenagers and people in their 20s, yes they look pretty good to us; However, even at their age, their skin no longer looks like it did when they were babies. Yes, our skin is already showing its age by the time people are 20!
Can you imagine what our new bodies might look like? Adults will have full heads of hear like youths and smooth skin like very young children, yet they will have the form of a fully developed adult. For the first time, we will have bodies without the signs of sin!
Verse 53 above says that the righteous must put on immortality. It is at that point that God's people will become immortal. You see, they were not immortal before, they were only mortal before this event. The Bible is very clear on this point. Before this time, all those who died, slept in the ground with no thoughts at all.
John also remembers Jesus speaking about this same event:
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
Both the righteous and the wicked will be brought back to life. So everyone who now dies, only sleeps temporarily. However we will see that the righteous will rise to eternal life. The wicked will be raised as well, but only long enough for them to face judgement.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2.
The following verses in Isaiah are very interesting. We know that the last days of this world are going to be trouble. And so, God tells many of His people that they will quietly rest in the grave until all the trouble is past. Then, at that time, the Lord will come out of Heaven and punish the wicked inhabitants.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:19-21
So even Isaiah has talked about the dead arising again. All that live in dust, awake and sing. Thy dead men will live and they will arise because the earth will cast out the dead!
Verse 20 seems to say to the righteous, rest a little while, enter thou into thy chambers (grave), and shut thy doors about thee and hide yourself as it were for a little moment until all this trouble is ended. This could be describing the purpose for death. It allows the righteous to sleep while trouble covers the Earth. After that: Behold, the LORD cometh out of his place. . . so that the dead in Christ can arise!
Hosea also speaks of the redeeming of the righteous from the dead.
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Hosea 13:14.
Paul speaks of Jesus being raised from the dead and that He will raise all those who are in Christ. So, God will redeem His righteous from their sleep of death.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we know that those in Christ will also be made alive.
In fact, some people have already been raised from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross, a group of people rose out of their graves.
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Matthew 27:50-53.
Here is a time when people all throughout Jerusalem saw people who were once dead but were now alive. This is another assurance that God can raise us up since He has already brought others up from their sleep.
John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
We are promised that he (or she) who believes in Jesus, will not perish but they will have everlasting life!
At various times, Jesus has spoken about those who will be raised in the resurrection.
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:34-36.
The righteous will be like the angels after they rise again.
The Two Resurrections
We already saw that there were two resurrections. Remember this text?
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
The first resurrection is for the righteous and the second resurrection is for the wicked. If you remember.
In Revelation, we have additional information, the wicked are resurrected 1000 years after the righteous are resurrected.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6.
For 1000 years, the righteous will live and reign with Jesus. It must be that something special is done for the righteous during this time. What ever it is that the righteous learn in this period of time, they apparently see the wisdom in the complete destruction of the wicked at the end. They are able to praise God for His victory.
We see that the rest of the dead, the wicked dead, do not live again until after the thousand years are ended. That must be the second resurrection, the resurrection of damnation which occurs a thousand years after the righteous are raised.
Since the wicked experience the second death, it must mean that they will either die or be killed. However the righteous will never again experience death. Those who are raised in the first resurrection of the righteous, the second death has no power!
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2:11.
The second death is only for the wicked. Those who overcometh will not be hurt at all. They are of the first resurrection. But the wicked are raised after the 1000 years and they will be hurt by the second death. They will face judgement.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8.
The wicked are described as having all sorts of sinful practices. All these will be destroyed in the second death. Please note that it does say death. They do not live forever. Only the righteous live for ever. Instead, the wicked face the second death in the fire and brimstone.
Remember that in one of the most beloved text of the Bible, John 3:16, people will either perish (the second death of the wicked) or they will have everlasting life (the righteous who have overcome).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
Some people think this text says that Satan will again tempt the righteous to sin against God, but this doesn't make any sense at all. Are we to expect that the righteous who have just lived and reigned with Jesus for a thousand years are going to be tempted to go against God all over again? No that does not make sense.
Remember, the righteous have already been raised in the first ressurection. That means they cannot be hurt by the second death, which means they will not die! They are free from sin forever because they have overcome! In fact, they have been judging the wicked for the last 1000 years. Would God allow them to fail after all that?
No, we must remember that the wicked are raised after the 1000 years. This is the same time that Satan is loosed out of his prison.
But the rest of the dead [the wicked] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. . . . . Revelation 20:5.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Revelation 20:7.
If we look at Revelation 20:7-10 again we can see that Satan deceives the nations which are called Gog and Magog! This is the wicked. Now lets see what they do: They compassed the camp of the saints! The saints are not being tempted to sin, they are being attacked! So the wicked surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city! Satan is not tempting the saints, he is tempting the wicked to attack the saints once again!
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
So, Satan deceived the wicked nations of the world to attack God's people once more. That is when they moved to surround the beloved city.
The wicked are so numerous that they number as the sand of the sea. But it is then that they are destroyed. in verse 9 it says the fire devoured them.
Some seem to think that Satan is in charge of Hell. However, in this text, we see that both Satan and his prophet, both are also thrown into the fire to be destroyed. Satan can not be in charge of Hell if he himself is destroyed in Hell.
Now, in verse 10, The fire is said to torment the wicked day and night for ever and ever. However this is a translation problem. believe it or not, "forever and ever" can be translated more than one way. If you are interested, I have a special web page that deals with this issue: What is meant by for ever and ever in the Bible?
Also, the Bible is very clear that the wicked do NOT suffer for ever and ever and ever. In the Bible we repeatedly see that the wicked are destroyed. They will perish, they will be burned up until they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, they will be no more, they will cease to exist, etc. to see the Biblical evidence click on this link: Hell Fire, Does it last forever?
The righteous who are in the New Jerusalem when the wicked are destroyed will at that time then see the world made new.
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